Release Date:

January 30, 1937

Main Character(s):

Hamhock Family

Summary:

Little Piggy Hamhock is so obsessed with food that he eats his mother’s pies, and eats all of his family’s dinner. That night, he has a nightmare where he is force-fed by a mad scientist. In the end, he hasn’t learned his lesson, as the next morning, he still eats his breakfast rapidly.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The cartoon is in the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons book.

The Hamhock family from “At Your Service Madame” returns here.

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. The song that played over the opening titles was “When My Dreamboat Comes Home”. The credits were:

Supervision: I. Freleng

Animation: Bob McKimson and Paul Smith

Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling

The force-feeding plot would later be reused in the Andy Panda cartoon “Apple Andy”, the Little Audrey cartoon “Butterscotch and Soda”, the Gumby Show episode “Grub Grabber Gumby”, the Lost Saucer episode “Fatropolis”, and the Simpsons episode “The Devil and Homer Simpson”.

This is also the first cartoon to use the “Hold the Onions!” gag.

What I Like About This One:

Piggy accidentally biting his fingers after his mother catches him trying to eat the second pie.

Piggy tying everyone’s spaghetti together so that he eats it all.

Billy Bletcher does a great job at portraying the scientist.

The various contraptions the scientist uses to force-feed Piggy (a soup dispenser, bananas being popped into his mouth, a vending machine shooting olives, an ice cream dispenser, a sandwich-making machine, and a pie jukebox) .

The usage of the “Hold the Onions” gag.

This whole force-feeding leaves Piggy an obese, blubbery mess who refuses to learn any moral. On his way out the door, he grabs a turkey leg and explodes! Or rather, he wakes up in bed, relieved. When it’s time for breakfast, he runs downstairs and eats rapidly, ignoring what just happened in his nightmare.

Where Can I Watch It?:

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕